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Argos: Rookie receiver John Chiles quickly making name for himself

Speedy wideout is developing into one of the team’s biggest offensive threats.

Argos receiver John Chiles hauls in a pass against Winnipeg during CFL play on July 19. The rookie wideout is making the most of his playing time in place of injured starter Dontrelle Inman. (John Woods / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

John Chiles could have been an Argonauts fan in the early 1990s, a youngster caught up in the manic era of Rocket Ismail, about as exciting a time as has ever enveloped the storied franchise.

But it wasn’t until after that electric era, when the Bruce McNall hype gave way to the harsh legal realities of fraud and Ismail had moved back to the NFL, that Chiles came to idolized the skilled wide receiver.

“I think I was about fourth or fifth grade, I was sitting outside the Cowboys practice facility and he actually signed an autograph for me,” the Dallas native Chiles says. “Definitely have been looking up to him . . . being from Dallas, all the Cowboys in ’95-’96, that era.”

But while the paths are not entirely the same, there are some similarities between then and now.

Chiles and Ismail are friends and confidants, the former Argo’s son now plays basketball at the same high school Chiles did, and they stay in almost constant contact in the off-season.

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Chiles is an Argo, a very skilled wide receiver who wears Ismail’s familiar No. 85, a young man of blazing speed and unlimited potential who is making a name for himself as a CFL rookie.

Taking full advantage of playing time that came about because of an injury to Dontrell Inman, Chiles is developing into one of the team’s biggest offensive threats. He had two touchdowns in Thursday’s easy win over Montreal, an acrobatic catch for one and a move that caused a defender to trip and fall on the second.

Of all the pleasant surprises in Toronto’s 4-2 start to the CFL season, Chiles might be the best.

“Obviously he’s getting better ever game,” said quarterback Ricky Ray. “With young guys, that’s what it’s all about — getting the game-time experience and learning about this league. He’s got really good speed, I noticed right away guys would come up and press him and he’s able to get off that and run by people.

“The biggest thing for a receiver for me is just having good body language when you’re running routes, not giving too many moves, being decisive, being in the right spots, and so far he’s been doing that.”

Not bad for a guy who was supposed to be throwing the passes instead of catching them.

Chiles was a quarterback — highly-touted and eminently skilled — growing up in the Dallas era. But because he wanted to remain close to home and play for a storied NCAA program, he found himself behind Colt McCoy on the team’s depth chart.

Chiles was heading into his junior year at college unwilling to spend another season as a backup with little chance to have a meaningful impact, so he figured the only thing he could do was switch positions.

“I really thought I was progressing at quarterback but there wasn’t a spot available there at the time,” he said. “I didn’t want to leave, I love the team and the coaching staff and I knew that I could play receiver.”

The move wasn’t that difficult given Chiles’ athletic gifts. Physically, he said he had to get used to the demands of finishing every play as a wideout instead of standing in a pocket looking to make a pass.

Mentally, he might even have an edge.

“I know I come up to the line sometimes and I see the defence trying to disguise coverage,” he said. “I’ve been taught and programmed to read those things, where a guy might be leaning to the left, different things that you notice.

“I was doing it so long I don’t even notice that I’m reading it. It’s just a habit.”

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